Genetics
by Ryuu no Kami
Summary: Because how else do you explain how someone so intelligent is that terrible of a cook?


**Note:** Is it just me, or is there _nothing_ out there about the Sage parents, or even about Raine's childhood in Heimdall?

Hence why I have returned. My character study of Kloitz was not enough to quell my creativity. So I hope this is somewhat satisfying to someone who has asked the same question I just did.

 **Summary:** Because how else do you explain how someone so intelligent is _that_ terrible of a cook?

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own Tales of Symphonia. If I did, I would be using some of that cash to pay off my crippling student loan debt...

* * *

 **Passable Chef?**

It starts out innocently enough.

"Papa, I'm hungry."

Kloitz lowers his book to look at her. "Your mother will be back soon to make us dinner."

She is not satisfied by his remark. "But I am hungry now."

With a sigh, he sets his book on his lap. "Well, I guess I can see if there is something for you to have as a snack."

Raine squeals in delight as she watches him stand up and stretch. Seriously, he reads that book every day! She smiles anxiously as he approaches her and pats her head lightly. She follows him into the nearby kitchen in hopes that he finds something for her to munch on. She just needs a snack. Anything more will surely upset her mother when she reveals why she is too full to eat dinner.

Her hopes drop when he turns to her with a frown. "Huh. I guess I know why your mother had to go out and get supplies."

Raine likes to believe she is smart, smarter than your average seven-year old, so she is greatly saddened to know that she will not be getting her snack. She frowns, mimicking her father, and stares at the floor. "But I'm hungry. I just want something small."

She also likes to believe that she is her father's one and only weakness. Whatever Raine wants, Raine gets. Especially when her mother isn't around to stop him.

Kloitz rubs the back of his head. "Well, there isn't a lot I can work with, sweetheart. I bet your mother is on her way home right now and she will make whatever you want for dinner," he says with a smile.

Raine feels her stomach about to growl, so she takes the initiative to find something for herself. Papa tends to lie to her sometimes. Maybe not lie, but not tell the whole truth.

She is disappointed to find out two things in her search: one, she found food, but nothing she would consider a "snack". Two, Papa did lie to her.

"Papa, why did you lie to me?" is her first question, because she is somewhat hurt. Surely, he does not want her to starve. Or maybe, he does not think she is seriously hungry?

He rubs both hands over his face, like he does when he is tired. "Honey, you are not going to just eat a tomato and some noodles as a snack." Was that a challenge? "I promise, your mother will be home in a few minutes."

Raine holds the tomato in her hand, eyeing the pasta she sees on the counter. "Will you make me something then?"

He chokes on a laugh, or does he choke? Either way, she does not get the response she wants. "How about we go look at that book of yours? The one with all the cool—"

"I'm hungry, Papa!" she screams, which she does not do often. But she is hurt, and hungry, and losing her patience. "You are smart! You can make me something! I promise I won't tell Mama!"

He takes a long pause before returning his gaze to her. She holds her breath in anticipation. Why is he not doing this for her?

"Tell you what," he begins, and her heart does a fluttering dance in her chest. "I can tell you what to do, and then you can make something."

Raine stares back at him in confusion. "What?" He rubs the back of his head again, and she can make out a tiny amount of pink on his cheeks. She is confused by this, so she asks, "What's wrong?"

The embarrassment, or whatever it is, vanishes at her question. "I will be your cook book, or…something like that. So just listen to what I say, and you can eat something you made all by yourself!"

The thought makes Raine smile happily. She rushes forward to wrap him in a hug as her way of thanking him. She is going to cook her first snack. She is very excited! She hopes she does not disappoint him.

"What do I do first, Papa?"

She eagerly awaits his instruction. He turns to rummage through the cupboards and retrieves a small pot. "Step one: retrieve a pot."

She giggles. Sometimes he is funny. "What do _I_ do first, Papa?"

He turns again to pour some water from their reserves into the pot. "Step two: fill retrieved pot with water."

She does not giggle this time. "Papa…."

He smiles and pats her on the head. "Step three: boil said water in retrieved pot."

Boil the water? They need a flame, right? Raine follows him as he throws small pieces of wood into a small clay "stove", as her mother likes to call it. He places its lid back on top and sits down next to where she is standing. "Step four: heat stove to boil said water in retrieved pot."

Raine smiles and watches as he extends his hands over the stove. She assumes he is checking the temperature. "Why did we not heat the stove first?"

He retracts his hands and gives her a brief hug. "Because your mother is the only one to use this thing."

She gives him a puzzling glance. "Why?"

He does not reply. "Step five: Place retrieved pot with said water on top of heated stove to boil."

While she finds his instructions somewhat humorous, she is still sad she does not get an answer to her question. "Does Mama not want us to use the stove?"

He rubs the back of his head again. She panics. Oh, Mama does not allow Papa to use the stove? "Step six: have your curious daughter cut the tomato."

She forgets all about her inquiry as she realizes she gets to help. Finally! "You're going to let me cut the tomato?!"

He hands her a collapsible knife he pulls out of his pocket. Why did he keep that there? "Don't tell your mother."

She squeals again and hugs him tightly around the neck. She did not want to ruin this moment for sure! Or else Mama will find out and she will never be allowed to help cook again! Her father stands up, extending his hand to help her to her feet. She is not quite tall enough to cut the vegetable on the counter, but he props her up so she can do so on her own. She is very careful with the knife; she knows it is sharp and she knows stories of when people have cut themselves with such tasks. She did not want her first time to be her last.

-0-

Virginia is gathering the last of the necessities when a man approaches her. "Virginia, you might want to return home at your earliest convenience."

She turns to him in surprise. Her first thoughts are that of danger: the humans have her daughter; the soldiers have her husband. The man senses her panic and holds up his hands, as if to calm her thoughts. "Your family is not in any serious danger."

This does not quell her fear. "What happened?"

He sighs, as his attempts do not work. "I do not know the details of the situation. I have only heard that a small fire had broken out in your home. It is believed your husband or your daughter put it out, but I am sure they are shaken up. I would advise you to return home as quickly as you can to check on them."

All worries and fears vanish from Virginia's mind as anger reaches the surface. "I'm going to kill him."

-0-

"You're an idiot."

Virginia smacks the back of her husband's head, again, while Raine continues to cry. The kitchen suffers from minor burns, nothing too severe. Kloitz suffers from a headache (she gladly claims responsibility for that), and her daughter is nursing a small cut on her left index finger.

"Can you not remember the last time you tried cooking dinner?" She is not as angry as she sounds. She is relieved that neither of them are hurt worse, but afraid that they _could_ have been hurt worse.

Raine rushes to her father's defense. "I was hungry, Mama! And Papa was letting me cook a snack! All by myself!"

Virginia sighs deeply. "What happened, honey?"

Kloitz speaks instead. "It was one time, a long time ago! I thought that it was just an accident. I didn't think it would happen again."

"I was cutting my tomato when I cut my finger! And Papa wrapped it up in this nice bandage." Raine pauses to show her his handiwork. At least he was a decent medic…. "And then, Papa said to check on the water and it was all gone and there was smoke and I was afraid and then Papa…."

She holds up a hand to stop her daughter. "It's alright. Your father," she turns her gaze to him, and he sheepishly looks away. "Burned a pot of mine a few years ago, too. That's why he's not allowed to cook for us."

Raine looks at her with curiosity. "Really?" Then she directs her look to her father. "Is that why you didn't want to cook for me, Papa?"

He does not answer. Virginia smiles and places a hand on her daughter's shoulder. "There is no one in the world that is as intelligent as your father." She earns a warm smile from both of them before she continues.

"Let's just hope that you get your cooking skills from me and _not_ your father."

* * *

Just a thing I thought about when doing my character study. Seriously, the ability to cook is learned. The _inability_ to cook, is genetic. I mean, who has a recipe for a lemonade sandwich?

Will this be a mulit-oneshot story? Likely. Maybe not. My commitment level is on par with Raine's ability to cook. 2 stars. Or 3 if it's spaghetti day. (Did anyone else notice that?!)

Until then, the dragon rests.

龍の神様


End file.
